ICAS Convention FAQs

Registration

Q. What does my registration fee include?

A. Your registration fee includes access to the ICAS Convention exhibit hall throughout the convention. It includes participation in all of the convention’s one-hour breakout sessions. It includes your participation in the Welcome Reception, lunch on the exhibit hall floor, a sit-down lunch for the Pinnacle Awards presentations, dinner at the Chairman’s Banquet, and participation in the Survivor Party following the Chairman’s Banquet.

Q. Can I use last year’s badge? I printed my confirmation and just stuck it in there.

A. No. The badge issued to you by ICAS for last year’s convention or any previous ICAS Convention provided access to you for those events. To participate in this year’s ICAS Convention, you must have credentials for this year’s ICAS Convention.

Q. Can I register for the convention and special seminars on-site?

A. Yes.

Q. If I’m registered and then am unable to attend, can someone else replace me without an admin charge?

A. Yes. Please contact ICAS Headquarters with any questions.

Q. What is your refund and cancellation policy?

A. Refunds:

1. No refunds on cancellations received after November 6, 2017.

2. Registration cancellations received on or prior to November 6 are refundable, less $50 admin fee.

3. Seminar cancellations received on or prior to November 6 are refundable, less $25 admin fee.

A. Cancellations:

1. Cancellation requests must be received in writing at ICAS headquarters.

We recommend emailing icas@airshows.aero, especially if it’s close to the refund deadline.

Q. I paid my booth fee, why do I have to pay registration fee?

A. To keep our exhibit booth rates as low as possible, to provide exhibitors with maximum flexibility and because ICAS has a long history of charging for booth fees and registration fees separately, the fees you pay for your booth do not include individual delegate registration. The total charge is still well below what you would typically be charged at similar-sized convention events.

Q. I’m thinking about becoming an ICAS member but want to check out the convention before I commit, can I still attend if I’m not an ICAS member?

A. No. The ICAS Convention is where the business of air shows gets done and is the single most important benefit we offer our members. You must be a paid member in good standing to register for and attend the ICAS Convention. To begin or renew your membership, go to airshows.aero/Page/JoinICAS. And, once you join, you’ll not only be able to attend the convention; you’ll also benefit from the many other benefits of ICAS membership.

Hotel

Q. What is the deadline to receive the discounted hotel rate?

A. You can receive the discounted hotel room rate at Paris Las Vegas until November 17, 2017. After that date, Paris Las Vegas can charge the prevailing rate that the general public has to pay.

Q. What is the discounted hotel rate and what do I get?

A. ICAS has negotiated a $139 per night room rate at Paris Las Vegas for the 2017 convention. Members staying at Paris Las Vegas under the ICAS room block WILL NOT be required to pay the otherwise mandatory Resort Fee of $32 plus tax ($35.84) per night.

However, delegates may opt in to the Resort Fee to receive the benefit of unlimited local calls, admission for two to the fitness center and two daily in-room internet connections.

Q: What is the best way to get from the airport to the Paris Las Vegas Hotel?

A: Your best bet is to cab it. Fares from McCarran Airport to Paris Las Vegas Hotel are typically $18-$20, including tip.

Q: What amenities do I get when I reserve a room in the ICAS block at the Paris?

A: Delegates reserving a room in the ICAS room block will not be required to pay the otherwise mandatory Resort Fee of $32 plus tax ($35.84) per night. However, you may opt in to the Resort Fee and receive the benefit of unlimited local calls, admission for two to the fitness center and two daily in-room internet connections

Q. Where is ________?

A. All education sessions, the welcome reception, the opening general session, luncheon, and banquet are held in the Paris Las Vegas meeting facilities area. For directions to Paris locations, follow the hotel and casino signage in the hallways and lobbies or the front desk can provide you with a map.

Q. My spouse accompanied me this week, what can she/he do to entertain herself/himself?

A. We recommend asking the hotel’s concierge or visiting lasvegas.com for information on shows, events or other activities taking place in the city. In addition, ICAS has individual tickets to all of our social/meal events available for purchase should your spouse wish to join you at our opening welcome reception, our Wednesday Pinnacle Awards luncheon or our Thursday evening Chairman’s Banquet.

Q. Is there free Wi-Fi in the event space?

A. In the Low Rise (casino and conference space) areas of Caesars Entertainment properties, Wi-Fi is free. Guests must sign-in and provide an e-mail address when prompted.

Q. Where can I park my RV/Trailer for the week while I’m here?

A. If you plan on bringing your oversized vehicle to the convention, please contact our event manager or Mary Quigg at 703-623-7304.

The Exhibit Hall

Q. My air show is a nonprofit organization. Do you have any non-profit discounts on the registration/booth space?

A. Unfortunately, no. ICAS is itself a nonprofit corporation and more than half of the delegates attending the convention are representing air show-related nonprofit organizations. So, we are not able to offer nonprofit discounts.

Q. Can my staff help man my booth even if they are not registered for the convention?

A. No. Except for the last exhibit hall session, every individual on the exhibit hall floor must be a registered ICAS Convention delegate.

Q. Why can’t I get to my booth when the exhibit hall is not open?

A. For security reasons, ICAS Convention rules say that exhibitors can enter 30 minutes prior to opening and stay 30 minutes after closing. This is largely a security issue. During past ICAS Conventions, items have been stolen from booths. We don’t think you are going to steal anything, but this policy from ICAS has largely eliminated thefts. We recognize that it can sometimes be inconvenient for some of our exhibitors, but it’s an unavoidable inconvenience. Please reference Exhibitor Rules at airshows.aero/GetDoc/2539.

Q. I have a plane to catch and need to break down my booth early.

A. Under certain circumstances, ICAS may allow early dismantling of your booth, but early dismantling will result in a reduction of your seniority status for booth selection. Please reference Exhibitor Rules at airshows.aero/GetDoc/2539.

Q. May I set up my booth in the morning before the first exhibit hall session?

A. No. All booths must be set up by Sunday, December 3, unless special arrangements were made prior to the convention.

Q. May I take a helper into the hall with me (only during set-up) to help me without their having to register?

A. Yes, but only during set-up and if arrangements for this have been made in advance.

Q. May I purchase a booth for next year after the exhibit space draw?

A. Yes. Following the booth selection process that takes place at the ICAS Convention and after those selections have been confirmed, ICAS will make all unsold booths available to organizations that did not participate in the space draw, typically in March.

Q. I don’t have an Exhibit Hall booth. Can I come in and sell my product?

A. No. “Suitcasers” are strictly prohibited from selling on the Exhibit Hall floor. In trade show parlance, “suitcasers” are individuals or organizations that attend trade shows and sell from the trade show floor without reserving a booth. This practice is a form of theft and is prohibited at the ICAS Convention. If you see non-exhibiting personnel selling from the trade show floor, we ask that you alert an ICAS staff member immediately.

Q. Why are there so few/many exhibit hours?

A. Each year, ICAS adjusts the exhibit schedule based on the feedback we received following past conventions. Although our goal is to have everybody say we have exactly the right number of exhibit hours, it has been our experience that we get the mix just about right when we have equal number of delegates say that they want more exhibit hours as we have delegates who say they want fewer exhibit hours.

Q. I’m not really in the business anymore so don’t need a registration but I want to see/talk to my friends in the hall, can I just go in for a few minutes?

A. The convention’s last exhibit session allows for guests to enter the hall.

Education Sessions and Paid Seminars

Q. This is my first ICAS Convention. Should I attend the First Timers’ Orientation?

A. Yes. For more than two decades, this session has been offered as a tool to help newcomers better understand and navigate the ICAS Convention. The format – part lecture, part interactive discussion – has evolved to meet the needs and interests of air show professionals attending their first event. If that describes you, it will likely be a good use of your time.

Q. Do I pay extra for seminars? Why?

A. Yes, the Air Force Open House Workshop, Air Shows 101 Air/Ground Operations Training Seminar, Sponsorship for Events Workshop, Air Shows 102 Air Show Business Basics Course, and Air Boss 201 Workshop are all courses for which ICAS incurs significant additional costs. We charge a separate fee to pay for those additional costs. But all of the one-hour break-out sessions offered by ICAS during the convention are available to ICAS Convention delegates at no additional cost.

Q. I understand that ICAS is offering training for Aerobatic Competency Evaluators. I am not an Aerobatic Competency Evaluator, but I’d still like to attend. Can I?

A. No, the session has been organized and will be conducted specifically for our evaluators. Non-ACEs are not invited to this session.

Q. I am an Aerobatic Competency Evaluator. Am I required to attend the training session?

A. ICAS ACEs are required to participate in re-currency training not less than once every two years to maintain their ACE status. We strongly encourage all ACEs to attend this important training session, particularly if you did not attend a session last year and would like to continue serving as an ACE next year.

Q. Why do the convention events start so early in the morning?

A. Our goal is to make the ICAS Convention as efficient, productive and helpful as possible for you and our other delegates. To do that, we pack as many different sessions and activities into each day as possible. That sometimes means scheduling sessions early in the morning.

Q. Will the session handouts be available on the ICAS website? Where will I find them and when will they be available?

A. Yes. Education Session handouts will be available on the ICAS website under the Convention dropdown menu, Convention Education Session Handouts submenu. They will also be available on the ICAS Convention mobile app. They will be available on the website no later than the Monday following the convention.

Ticketed and Social Events

Q. I want my wife/husband to attend the banquet with me. A friend is leaving early and gave me his ticket. Can I use it for my wife/husband?

A. No, registration fees or portions of registration fees are not transferrable. If your husband/wife would like to attend the banquet with you, we would love to have him/her, but he/she will need to buy a ticket to the event.

Q. I won’t be able to make it to the Banquet. Can I get a refund for the amount of the banquet?

A: No. Catering arrangements with the hotel are made many months before the convention. Costs for the banquet and other food functions are committed many weeks before the convention. ICAS does not refund portions of the registration fee.

Q. Am I required to have a reservation to attend the luncheon and banquet?

A. No. Registered delegates do not need a reservation. However, we do recommend making table reservations via our online portal (www.airshows.aero/Page/Reservations) so you can select the table at which you would like to sit along with reserving seats for other registered delegates or non-registered guests with a paid event ticket.

Q. Does my guest need a ticket for (reception/luncheon/banquet)?

A. Yes. Non-registered guests at the Welcome Reception, Pinnacle Awards Luncheon and Chairman's Banquet will need a ticket. Prices for each 2017 event are: $50 for the Welcome Reception; $60 for the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon; and $85 for the Chairman's Banquet.

Q. I want to reserve a table for lunch/dinner but I don’t know the names of everyone that will be sitting with me yet. Can I just reserve a table and come back and tell you the names later?

A. No, it really is necessary to have all the names so we may ensure that someone in your party isn’t already sitting with another group and have duplicate reservations.

Q. I would like to bring my wife/husband/friend to the welcome reception/luncheon/banquet. Can I buy single-event social event tickets?

A. Yes, social event tickets for guests can be purchased at the convention registration area. Prices for each 2017 event are: $50 for the Welcome Reception; $60 for the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon; and $85 for the Chairman's Banquet.

Q. The hotel wants to charge me for bringing in my own wine to the banquet…can they do that?

A. The hotel does not allow outside food and beverage. Should you choose to bring your own, they can charge you a corkage fee.

Q. Can I get a refund for my social event ticket?

A. No, ICAS does not refund portions of the registration fee. Our costs are fixed whether you attend the social event or not.

Q. What should I do if I have special dietary needs?

A. Prior to the convention, please email your dietary restrictions to quigg@conferencedirect.com. Upon arrival at the ICAS registration desk, inform a staff member and they will provide cards for you to complete and present to the wait staff at both the luncheon and banquet.

Q. Where do I pick up and return my tuxedo for the banquet?

Tuxedo rental information and the ordering form is available for download HERE. Pre-ordered tuxedos are typically delivered to the bell desk. After the event, return tuxedos to the Bell Desk before noon and they will be collected by Tuxedo Junction at no extra charge.

Q. Where can I purchase social event tickets for guests, and what are the costs?

A. Any registered delegate may purchase a social event ticket for a guest online at airshow.aero/Page/Reservations or at the Registration Desk. Prices for each 2017 event are: $50 for the Welcome Reception; $60 for the Pinnacle Awards Luncheon; and $85 for the Chairman's Banquet.

Q. I hear a lot of talk about the bar. Why is that so important?

A. Right from its beginning, the informal interaction of air show colleagues has been a critical element of the success of the ICAS Convention. And much of that informal interaction takes place at the sponsored bar in the hotel hosting the event. There’s no requirement that you drink alcohol, but some of your most helpful conversations will take place after hours as fellow convention delegates share lessons learned…good and bad.

Q. Why are the drink prices so expensive at the hotel bar?

A. Drink prices – beer, wine and liquor – have been increasing steadily over the last several years at all Las Vegas hotels. ICAS has negotiated small discounts for convention delegates, but the hotel’s management makes pricing decisions. We advocate on your behalf, but there are many considerations beyond our control that come into play, including trends throughout the casino and hotel industries.

Administrative Questions

Q. When will the jet team schedules be announced at the convention?

A. The jet team schedules will be provided at the entrance to the exhibit hall following the conclusion of the Opening General Session and will be available on the ICAS website under the Air Shows Calendar menu, By Military Jet Team submenu.

Q. Where can I then get a copy of the jet team schedules?

A. There will be copies at the ICAS registration desk and at the front entrance of the exhibit hall.

Q. How often will you print air show schedules during the convention?

A. Continually updated air show schedules will be available on the ICAS website and print ready in MS Word format. Go to airshows.aero, and under the Air Shows Calendar menu choose Other Calendar Options to select Next Year’s Calendar in Word. Printers are available in the Internet Café.

Q. Where do I bring my future air show dates for inclusion in the air show schedule?

Q. Where is the most recent show schedule?

A. Go to airshows.aero/Page/ASCalendar and you can use the By Location, By Date, By Military Jet Team, or Other Calendar Options dropdown menus to find updated show listings.

Q. Where can I print a contract/boarding pass/show tickets?

A. At the ICAS Internet Café outside of the exhibit hall or at the Paris Las Vegas business center. But, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the GEICO Skytypers, printing at the Internet Café is free. Printing at the business center is not.

Q. What is the dress for the convention?

A. Dress is business casual (khakis, polos, etc.)

On Flight Suit Day, all pilots and performers typically wear their flight suits.

2. The Chairman’s Banquet is “black tie optional.” Many delegates choose to wear tuxedos (Mess Dress for military), and evening dresses, but you will not feel out of place if you come in less formal attire such as a business suit. Tuxedo rental information and the ordering form for Tuxedo Junction is available for download HERE.

Q. Is a password needed to use the Internet Café?

A. No.

Q: I’m having a great time and want to share my experience. What social media outlets does ICAS use?

Please feel free to use the social media feature on your 2017 ICAS Convention mobile app and use #ICAS17 for all of your convention-related social media posts.

Q. Where and when are future conventions?

A.

2018 - Paris Las Vegas, December 3-6

2019 - Paris Las Vegas, December 9-12

Q. Why is the ICAS Convention always held in the same week in early December?

A. With an air show season that begins in mid-March and ends in early November and with the Thanksgiving holiday falling each year in late November, years of experimenting and surveying have identified the first or second full week in December as the one time that is most convenient for the largest number of ICAS members, including both those with late fall shows and those with early spring shows.

Q. Why is the ICAS Convention always in Las Vegas?

A. Although ICAS experimented with holding our annual convention in other cities, our delegates have consistently told us that airline travel, hotel costs and night life make Las Vegas the best possible location for the ICAS Convention.

Q. Why is the ICAS Convention always in a Las Vegas casino?

A. Because Las Vegas casinos have multiple ways to generate revenue from their customers, extensive ICAS research and experience has proven that the casinos are able to offer a lower sleeping room rate and less expensive fees for meeting room and other convention-related expenses. We have also found that the ICAS membership prefers the Las Vegas casino location.